The Apartment
by Market Rush
Summary: Sakura was all alone in her apartment. 'It's so empty,' she thought. 'I could use a roommate, I guess.' And so, she put up an ad in the newspaper, hoping upon hoping that a reply would come to her. Of course, specifying that one needs to be 'nice-smelling' will get her the oddest of replies. She gets more than she bargains for, or does she?


I know I haven't updated. In years, in fact. I apologize profusely!

My first fic for the kaka/saku community :) Please take care of me *bows*

I'm making this M rating just to be on the safe side.

A/N: Disclaimer. Use of characters through my imagination.

* * *

xxxx

Sakura was all alone in her apartment. 'It's so empty,' she thought. 'I could use a roommate, I guess.'

And so, she put up an ad in the newspaper, hoping upon hoping that a reply would come to her.

The ad spoke:

ROOMMATE NEEDS TO:

-COOK

-CLEAN

-TELL JOKES

-NOT BE ANNOYING

-BE TALL

-BE NICE-SMELLING

~and the list went on and on...

It was a tall list, but she was a short person, so there needed to be a balance somewhere. And a balance, there was. She was even short-tempered, if it mattered.

Her phone rang, "Ringalingalingaling~~~~

And she answered, "Hello?"

And a familiar male voice grumbled, "What kinda list- tall? Nice-smelling? Sakura, are you out of your mind?"

All the veins on her forehead twitched. Nobody had contacted her about the ad and she was at the end of her rope, desperate for a call, any call really. She cut him off. "Excuse me? Who calls someone up on the phone just to insult them? It's an ad, and I can have whatever I want on it."

Kakashi tried to placate her, "Hey, easy, kay? I'm saying- "

Sakura glared at the cute old-school lime green phone that had a cord attached in her hand, pulling it away from her ear. Steam rose out of her, imagining the grip she had on it was really his throat. She pushed the phone back to her ear. "No, Kakashi, YOU be easy!" And sometimes, Sakura indeed wished Kakashi WAS easy, especially when he came off of training all sweaty and muscled and the like.

The voice cut her off, "Do you want a roommate or not?"

"Are you serious? After insulting me, you really think you have a chance?"

The male voice chuckled. "'Course I'm serious, how else am I gonna stay out of the rain?"

...

It was the middle of summer. It was blistering outside, from the sun angrily showing its passion unto Konoha for it betraying its love with the moon every night.

Sakura thought about it. He was the only one to answer her ad in weeks...

and told him to come over tomorrow at noon.

~~~Next daaay~~~

"Sakura-chan, I'm heeree," a voice tinkled out behind her door.

She thought about just not answering-

"I can hear your footsteps on the floorboard, open up."

Sakura sighed. Here it goes.

She twisted open the doorknob, wrenching it from the frame only to see grey eyes that sparkled mischief. His strong, lithe body leaning against the wood doorway, with his forearm supporting him up in his regular jonin garb.

Sakura closed the door on him.

"Sakura, open up," he warned. "I'm even early."

Sakura sighed against the barrier between them. It was true. She really didn't expect him to be at her door on the dot. She was even still in her pink polka dot jammies to prove it, eating her sugary cereal in a coffee mug. On days she didn't need to get up early for hospital shifts, she usually got up around 11:30 a.m. "You're everything that's NOT on the list, by the way," She backed away from the door and flopped onto her comfy couch that was off to the side facing her simple kitchen. It wasn't true. He had almost everything down on the list. He even smelled nice. Kinda pissed her off, in fact.

"Don't I at least get an interview? Weren't you talking about common courtesy yesterday?"

She sighed. It was true. Not wanting to be hypocritical, and against her better mind, she got off the couch, which was so loving to her back, and opened the door. "Come in," she pushed out.

The man behind the door grinned, his eye crinkle showing through, "Thanks".

"No problem," the words barely making it out of her mouth.

A chuck sounded from him, a low baritone rumbling from his chest, sitting down on the La-Z-boy reclining chair that was diagonally from her as if he owned it.

Sakura sighed. "Alright, to begin this, are you a good person? Which I doubt…" she trailed off.

Kakashi ignored the last part. "I think a good person is knowledgeable of actions and how they relate, and even affect others around them. The intent is the most important, if you don't have that, then where is the basis of humanity? How can they say that they are a good person if they can't even have the truth come out of the core of their own heart?" He thought about it, his head tilting upwards to the ceiling. "In that respect, then yes, I am a good person." He finished it off with a wink.

Sakura stared blankly at him…

and mumbled, "Sign here, here and here, and initial there."

And just like that,

he was in.

xxxx

After moving all of his stuff in, which wasn't much to begin with, Kakashi settled down onto the wooden kitchen table underneath the window. Mr. Ukki in hand, he carefully placed the plant on the sill near his head.

Standing in the middle of the living room in front of the coffee table, Sakura stared at him suspiciously, hands on her hips and her eyes narrowed.

Kakashi only leaned back against his chair, hands crossed and legs stretched out in front of him.

One elegant, pink eyebrow rose, in search of an answer from the man before her.

A pleasant eye crinkle replied back.

Not taking the pervading silence any longer, Sakura demanded, "Why are you here?"

With an airy wave from his hand, Kakashi answered, "I sort of live here now."

Sakura pursed her lips. What can he be planning?

Seeing the wheels working behind her mind, Kakashi sat up from his chair, muscled arms on the kitchen table. "It gets a little quiet living alone." He looked off over his shoulder into the view from the balcony overlooking Konoha. The moon was starting to take over and with it, the cool night air. Lights from nearby houses twinkled on. "You can understand that, can't you?"

Of course she can understand that. After finding out she was pregnant, Ino left to move in with her lover, Kiba. News of a baby delighted the group of girls they hung out with on Friday nights. Of course, the only thing Ino could drink was water. But since she was gone, a sort of quietness took over and wouldn't go away. Maybe Kakashi had good intentions after all... Sakura sighed, her head downturned and her eyes closed. "Yeah, I understand."

A soft smile played on his lips beneath his mask. "Good."

xxxx

The sun shined onto her closed eyes, shooting her out of her dreams. She turned over onto her back and a great yawn issued out of her mouth.

"Morning, Sunshine," an unfamiliar voice called to her.

A burglar! Her emerald eyes shot open, more aware of her surroundings.

"How about some breakfast?" Oh, it was just Kakashi.

She turned onto her stomach, grabbing a heart-shaped pillow over her head, and answered with a "hrnnphlamurph" from underneath it.

A pause. "So I guess I'll throw away this ham and cheese omelet then."

Food! "I'm awake, I'm awake!" she garbled out. Sakura got off her bed before checking for drool (none!), and gave a big stretch with her arms reaching towards the ceiling, her chest lifting to accompany it.

"Very nice," and an appreciative noise came from his throat. A heart-shaped pillow flew to his head, but he grasped it easily. "Food's in the kitchen."

A sweet smile played across her face, "Thank youu."

She heartily ate her breakfast. In fact, it was really delicious! Sakura was surprised by his culinary skills. Not only did he make an omelet for them to share, he also made a chocolate souffle, which was rich and gooey in the center and just the way she liked it. After, he laid out a fruit salad with all her favorite fruits to finish off the meal.

Her stomach gurgled in happiness. Kakashi took the dirty plates into the sink, ran the water and began scrubbing the plates with a sponge. Sakura gave a great sigh of blissful content, "Kakashi, that was orgasmic."

"Wait til you try the real thing."

A tinkling laugh called from her. "If I could fit that into my schedule, I would, believe me."

"Don't work yourself too hard, Sakura. You're still young."

Sakura thought about it, her eyes glancing up. "Sometimes, I have to remind myself I'm 23. I guess I get too caught up in life." Perhaps it's time to slow down a little? Ino has already started a family and Naruto started his hokage apprenticeship a while back. She stopped reminiscing to see Kakashi give her an unreadable expression. She started to wonder what it could mean until he gave her an eye crinkle.

"That's starting to sound like one of my excuses."

Sakura laughed again. "True. I know I don't want to end up like you," she winked, a teasing smile on her lips.

"Hey... " Kakashi faked a hurt expression, a hand upon his heart.

Sakura got up from the kitchen table and gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Thanks for the meal, Kakashi," with appreciation in her eyes. He stopped scrubbing a plate in his hand and gave her a significant look. His slate eyes growing darker by the second. Her hand strayed on his shoulder far longer than normal. Something passed between them but what could it mean?

"Off you go to work now, before my heart breaks even more." Finishing up washing the dishes, he flicked soap suds at her red tank top.

"Hey!" she giggled, giving his arm closest to her a clean smack. Before he could retaliate, she left the kitchen to get ready for work at the hospital.

xxxx

"Rumor has it that someone has a hot new roommate," someone purred.

Sakura groaned in her mind. Sometimes, there were no such things as secrets in a village full of ninjas. Everyone had a watchful eye, which made every secret even harder to keep. Of course, it wasn't like she was going to hide the fact that Kakashi moved in. She needed a roommate!

"Yes, Ino, Kakashi moved in. Are you getting a check-up right now?"

"Yup, with Nurse Claire. Can you believe I'm 16 weeks along now? Feel!" she grabbed Sakura's hand that wasn't doing any paperwork and softly placed it onto her swelling stomach.

"That bulge definitely isn't fat anymore." Sakura felt the growing life inside of Ino's stomach. It definitely says baby.

"Quit teasing and tell me about your roommate," Ino replied haughtily.

"16 weeks along, you say? Put petroleum jelly underneath your nose; it'll help with the stuffiness in your nasal passage."

"Sakura..." she said warningly.

"Alright, alright." Sakura thought about Kakashi. "He was really sweet, actually. This morning, he woke me up and made a delicious breakfast. He even washed the dishes too!"

Ino's brows shot up before they scrunched. "Are you sure we're talking about the same Kakashi?"

"The very one! He wasn't annoying like I thought he would be..."

Ino put a manicured hand to her chin. "Seems to me we've got a keeper."

Sakura gave a quiet laugh. "Seems like he'll be my roommate forever. Or at least, a very long time."

Ino poked her. "No, I mean, a _keeper. _Not just a roommate, but something more!"

'Something more?' Sakura thought. "No, maybe he's planning something. He's pretty crafty."

The blond scoffed. "Whatever it is, keep him. If you can choose to be with someone, Kakashi is it. He's smart, he's funny, he can cook and clean. Sakura, what's not to like?"

Sakura glanced down and thought it over.

"I'm not going to push you into a relationship because ultimately, it's your choice. I chose to be with Kiba, and having a baby together sort of made our bond like glue. We'll always be connected because of this little thing inside me, and honestly, I want my relationship with Kiba to last. So think it over, Sak. Live a little." And with that, Ino left.

Sakura sat alone in her office with her thoughts, her eyes looking unseeingly at the documents before her.

xxxx

Sakura came home late that night. After being so scatter-brained, she worked hard to catch up on diagnosing her cases, even researching way into the dark. It left her so exhausted that even the night custodian told her to leave. Dragging up her feet three flights of stairs to get to her, no, _their_ apartment, was even taking a toll on her weary body. When Ino left after their talk, Sakura was alone with her thoughts. It distracted her to no end. Every time she started to put pen onto paper, thoughts of Kakashi would swim around her head. Kakashi in an apron. Kakashi asking her how her day at work went. Kakashi working out his lean, rugged muscles... And every time, Sakura would have to shake her head of those thoughts as if she was shaking a snow globe (especially the last image), disrupting the beautiful pictures until soft flurries blurred it away.

She stumbled over the last step before leaning heavily against her apartment door. Fishing for her keys in her pant pockets, she jangled them out while trying to find the right one that went to the knob. With a click! signalling that it was in, the door opened- but with a force that was not her own. Promptly, she fell inside, but her ninja senses hadn't totally failed, in which she grappled onto the closest thing. That "thing" turned out to be Kakashi, who clutched her securely in his arms. Her half-deprived mind still noticed what he was wearing: his casual, dark blue civilian garb.

"Woah there," he proclaimed. "Somebody's tired."

She responded with a harrumph.

"Let's get you to bed then," he murmured, lifting her bridal-style through the threshold. The significance of it hadn't escaped them, but neither of them wanted to break the silence. The moment didn't seem right to. Sakura merely nuzzled her head into his warm neck.

Kakashi strode through their apartment, making a right and into a hall where her room was located. He gently placed her atop her bed, gingerly peeling off her shoes and socks before lifting the strewn comforter from the morning atop her body. He clasped onto the heart-shaped pillow she threw onto the floor from earlier and placed it next to her. Sakura clutched it and gave a sleepy squeeze.

Gingerly pulling a strand of pink hair away from her face, Kakashi murmured a, "Good night."

Sakura fell asleep before she could reply back, the "sleep tight" still on her lips as she drifted off to dreamland.

xxxx

_KRSSHHHH!_

Sakura pulled out a senbon from her pillowcase. Someone was in her room. Before she could take aim, a loud scuffle erupted and her lights switched on. Her eyes re-adjusted to the change, only to see a dark figure struggling to get out of a headlock from Kakashi. 'What is going on?' she thought. She raised her senbon menacingly.

"WAIT! Sakura-sempai!" the figure cried out. "It's me, Enzo!"

What's Enzo doing here? "Let him go, Kakashi. Enzo is my fellow medic chuunin." Kakashi quickly released his arms from around her poor kohai's neck.

Enzo, dressed in his full medical regalia, cautiously rubbed his wind pipes and breathed deeply. "I apologize for not giving you proper notice... and I hadn't realized you had a body guard- " Kakashi gave what could have been a smirk at this. " -But I have a message from the Godaime relaying that you must come quick to the hospital. The traitor, Sasuke, is back and extremely wounded. Code red!"

Her heart dropped into her stomach.

Everything passed by like a blur. She felt confused and angry, resentment extolling in there as well as hope. What could this mean? Why is he back now? Her mind in a tizzy, she flew into her uniform and scattered into the night. The next thing she knew, she was in the medical chambers, starting the seals for a major medical healing on Sasuke with five other medics to assist her with supplying chakra. He had internal and external bleeding all along his body. His left lung was punctured, his chakra pathways were blocked, and he had broken many bones in his collarbone, left side of his ribs, left hip, left hand and left thigh. It was almost as though he was crushed by a major force all along one side. His face, though, was unmarred.

Of all things, his face must be cursed in its beauty. But she pushed that thought aside. She had to heal him or else, she wouldn't have any of her questions answered.

xxxx

Kakashi was sent to intel for reconnaissance. Walking through the longs halls of the building, he reached a nondescript metal door and wrenched it aside.

"What do we know, Ibiki?" Kakashi was in full ninja mode. Barely any time passed since he had left Sakura's side. It was still dark, but dawn was already beginning to reach forth.

"Cell of anbu was coming back from a mission from Iwa, found him half-beaten to death," the burly man gruffed.

"Did he resist?" Kakashi thought of what Sasuke could want in Lightning country. News of Itachi's death had reached them years ago, but not a single, confirmed sighting of Sasuke was ever seen.

"In that condition? He could barely lift a finger!" Ibiki glanced over the secret documents in front of him laid out on a table. He called into his shoulder where a small black microphone was hidden into his tattered, brown trench coat, "Ready the interrogation room."

"Hai!"

"And Kakashi? You're going to interrogate. Don't go easy," a grim smirk etched against Ibiki's stony face.

Kakashi stuffed his hands into his pocket.

xxxx

"Sakura-san, Sakura-san! You're chakra reserves are running low!" a panicked voice called out.

When Sakura started healing, she couldn't stop. It always felt like a trance cloaking her body, and until the healing was done and the patient was secure, only then could she rest. "Hand me another soldier pill, Miko," she replied belatedly.

"But Sakura-san, this is your third one! Please let me take over!" the girl named Miko replied earnestly. The five other medics helping her had all been replaced already, taking their rest, but Sakura couldn't turn away. Not with this case. If ever someone was to look at her back, it would be now. She continued working.

A firm hand grasped her shoulder. "Sakura," she turned her head back to look at who addressed her, but she already knew who it was. "Stop".

Sakura shook her head. "I can't, Kakashi." Her eyes pleaded with him.

"We only need him alive. What you're doing is more than enough," his serious grey eyes seemed to tell her everything, and yet, nothing. "It's time to turn your back on this."

She felt ashamed and closed her tired lids. He knew.

The warm hand on her shoulder lifted to her cheek softly. Her sparkling eyes gazed longingly, whether at him, for rest, or both, she was too exhausted to care. "Sakura, it's okay. Let go," he gently told her.

And she did.

Right when her hands moved away, Miko swiftly shifted into position and deftly transitioned into finishing the healing seal.

Sakura enveloped her arms around Kakashi's neck, who wrapped his own around her body, lifting her up and out of the chamber. "Silly girl."

She answered back with a tiny snore.

"Kakashi-sempai, you and I were supposed to transfer Sasuke into the interrogation room," his unnoticed colleague beside him reminded.

"In his state," Kakashi examined Sasuke's comatose state, "I'm sure you can do it on your own." Glancing down at the ridiculously charming woman he held, he aired, "Besides, I have more important matters."

And with that, Kakashi left with Sakura in his arms.

xxxx

Sakura toed the line of sleepiness and wakefulness. Every time she opened her eyes, white walls, covers and familiar beeps from a monitor would greet her. So would floppy, grey hair and an energetic, orange book.

"Hey..." he would say, but sleep would hit her before she could do anything else.

She dreamt a lot during this time, but one of them really spoke out to her.

"You really had me worrying there, you silly, beautiful girl," a familiar baritone rumbled.

'Beautiful?' She was starting to grow tired of toeing the line. She wanted this to be real.

"You're probably going to kill me when you find out I changed your clothes."

'Whaaaa?'

"I didn't look... Maybe just a peek."

"A peek!" Sakura sat up and smacked his arm.

"Aah, you're awake," he deadpanned. Guess she wasn't dreaming.

"You peeked?!" she yelled, her hands clutching onto the white hospital covers across her chest, hiding her hospital gown from view.

"I kind of had to. Otherwise, you'd be having that gown's slit across your front," he stared at her body pointedly.

Sakura groaned, her cheeks growing red. She knew nurses and medical personnel were the only ones allowed to change the patients but a little part inside her kind of liked the idea, and another was embarrassed.

"Take us home, Kakashi." She's had enough resting time at the moment. She'll just come by tomorrow and clear her name off the list herself.

He got off the visitor's chair and reached for her change of clothes. She lifted her arms while he gingerly lifted the hospital gown off her. In her bra and panties, she didn't feel self-conscious. She trusted him whole-heartedly, searching his face instead. His slate eyes gave an admiring stare that rove up and down her body before they rested on her emerald eyes. A beat passed before them before he gently tugged a plain t-shirt over head and down her body. He lifted one ruby-polished foot, then the other, grazing his callous hands along her calves, and then her thighs before he slid her khaki shorts onto her smooth legs. Their face was close, sharing the same breath, before she laid back down against the bed. Kakashi skimmed a hand underneath her lower back and lifted, helping her with his other hand pull up her cutoffs over her rear together. Holding her gaze, he gathered the metal clasp and buttoned up her shorts. His hand stalled on the zipper, waiting for her as if asking for permission. His other hand slid to her slim waist, and he gazed intensely at her lips. Her heart beat faster and she gathered herself onto her elbows, closing the distance between them as consent before leaving an inch between their lips. Kakashi narrowed the last distance, her heart catching in her throat. The hand that was on her waist moved to her neck, angling her for a deeper kiss. It was intoxicating; their lips softly nipping at each other made her flush. One of her hands clutched at his hair and he gave a deep groan that she felt through his chest. Their long, intimate kiss slowed to a stop, and a zip! could be heard, resounding against the barren hospital room.

They tried to slow their breathing, all the while smiling giddily at each other.

xxxx

Kakashi insisted on carrying her back to their apartment even though she repeated that she was fine.

Once again, Kakashi carried Sakura through the threshold.

Sweeping through their place, he carried her into her room and onto her bed.

"I'll probably have to change this twin-sized bed into a bigger size for two," she mused, feeling the padding of her comforter.

"Probably."

"Where did I put my- "

Kakashi reached over the tall dresser, grasping the heart-shaped pillow that was placed there and gave it to Sakura. The dresser was even taller than Sakura on her tippy-toes, let alone reaching _over_ it.

She gave the heart a squeeze.

Feeling her questioning glance, Kakashi explained, "While you were knocked out cold, I took the liberty to clean up your room."

Sakura thought about it. "How long was I out?"

"Three days."

"Shit, really?" She must have really overexerted herself during the healing... "What'll happen to Sasuke?"

Kakashi sighed and sat down onto her bed next to her. "Bad news is that he'll probably have a prison sentence. Good news is that Sasuke gave up willingly. Well, he actually gave up right when Itachi died and became a walking abyss after that. He told us, and we matched it up with some rumored records of where he was spotted, how he traveled country to country, searching for a reason." He thought about it, a finger reaching up to scratch his chin, "I think he's finally realized he had a reason all along."

Sakura lowered her head to the side, "That he has friends in Konoha?"

"Something like that. Sasuke's a bastard; who really knows."

Sakura laughed, feeling very happy and for once, fulfilled. She reached for a kiss from him, in which he returned. He smelled wonderful.

She broke the kiss and gasped. "You knew!"

"Knew what?" He raised a grey brow.

"You knew I wasn't really looking for a roommate!" She felt ridiculous for being caught, and for saying it aloud. But at this moment, she didn't care.

Kakashi chuckled. "Of course. 'Tall?' 'Nice-smelling?' If there was ever a want-ad for a lover, your ad would be it."

Sakura pouted and inched away.

He pulled her back against him, "Which is why I put an ad underneath yours saying that whoever were to contact you about it would get Chidori'd all the way to Kirigakure."

She digested the words into her mind. A blissful smile pulled onto her lips.

"Honestly, Sakura, that was a very blatant sign. You could have just moved into my apartment rather than going through all this trouble."

Sakura bit her lips, and they loopily smiled at each other.

Both their hands were on the heart-shaped pillow.

* * *

xxxx

A/N: haha so what'd you think? I was going to make this a short, multi-chap, but then I decided to make it a long one-shot.

I had the idea of this while I was RPing on a popular gaming site, and then spun it into a kakasaku thing. Shout-out if you know it/saw me post it! :D If you get it right, I'll send you a very short omake :)


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